EDUCATION: Dr. Ian Lester (b. 1994) is an award-winning composer, euphonium player, and teacher holding a Doctorate degree in euphonium performance and Master’s degree in composition from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he also previously received his Master's degree in euphonium performance. Ian received his Bachelor’s degree in euphonium performance at Oakland University in his home state of Michigan, where he also pursued additional composition studies.
COMPOSING: Ian’s music has been described as "high energy", "innovative", and "thoughtful and concise" by the International Tuba and Euphonium Association (ITEA). His music focuses on melodic and rhythmic structure, drawing inspiration from sources such as film music, synthwave, and music of the 20th and 21st Century, just to name a few. Ian’s works have been premiered and recorded by performers such as the Factory Seconds Brass Trio, the Julius Quartet, the North Texas Euphonium Quartet, the SPLICE Ensemble, Chimera Contemporary, In Motus Tuba Quartet, Don-Paul Kahl, Steve Darling, Jonathan W. Voth, Richard Demy, Irving Ray, Louis Setzer, Thomas Stein, the Conviviality Trio, Tubas Ignis, and the Oakland University Trumpet Ensemble, Brass Band, and Wind Symphony, and numerous collegiate tuba/euphonium ensembles in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Fort Myer, and universities, conferences, and recital halls around the world.
In 2016, Ian’s composition Sonata for Tuba ‘Hades God of the Underworld’ won the Pershing’s Own U.S. Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Composition Competition where the version for contrabass tuba received its world premiere at the 2017 Tuba-Euphonium Conference in Arlington, Virginia. The bass tuba version of Hades was premiered and recorded by Steve Darling and can be heard on his debut CD Dualities. In 2018, Ian was named the winner of the highly competitive inaugural North Texas Euphonium Quartet Composition Competition with his piece Reminiscence and Death Machine, which can be heard on the quartet’s debut CD Machines. In 2020, two of Ian's works, INTO THE MADHOUSE for solo tuba and Reflect, Refract for solo euphonium were selected as honorable mentions for the inaugural Leonard Falcone Call for Solo Works. That same year, Ian's work Persevere and Rebuild, for the Sun Will Rise Again received an honorable mention in the "When Tuba Come One' International Composition Competition.
In 2021, Ian won the Mirari Brass Quintet's Call for Scores with his work Three Episodes for Brass Quintet. That same year, Ian was one of ten composers accepted into the Julius Quartet’s EMERGE SOLSTICE summer workshop with his work Two Vignettes for String Quartet, a week-long seminar in which Ian worked with the world-renowned Julius String Quartet and Grammy Award-winning composer Steven Mackey. Ian was selected as the 2021 Composer in Residence for the nationally recognized and award-winning Volker Brass Quartet, which culminated in the world premiere performance of Ian's work ENERGY SUITE. In 2022, Ian was named the winner of the UMKC Composition Competition with his work Mental Pendulum written for and premiered by the Factory Seconds Brass Trio. In 2023, Ian was named the winner inaugural North Texas I.T.E.A Chapter Composition Competition with his work for euphonium, tuba, and piano First-foot. Most recently, Ian was named the winner of the 2023 ITEA R. Winston Morris Composition Award for tuba/euphonium ensemble with his piece LIMINAL SPACES.
Ian's primary composition teachers are Paul Rudy, Yotam Haber, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Terry Herald, and Ben Fuhrman.
COMPOSING: Ian’s music has been described as "high energy", "innovative", and "thoughtful and concise" by the International Tuba and Euphonium Association (ITEA). His music focuses on melodic and rhythmic structure, drawing inspiration from sources such as film music, synthwave, and music of the 20th and 21st Century, just to name a few. Ian’s works have been premiered and recorded by performers such as the Factory Seconds Brass Trio, the Julius Quartet, the North Texas Euphonium Quartet, the SPLICE Ensemble, Chimera Contemporary, In Motus Tuba Quartet, Don-Paul Kahl, Steve Darling, Jonathan W. Voth, Richard Demy, Irving Ray, Louis Setzer, Thomas Stein, the Conviviality Trio, Tubas Ignis, and the Oakland University Trumpet Ensemble, Brass Band, and Wind Symphony, and numerous collegiate tuba/euphonium ensembles in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Fort Myer, and universities, conferences, and recital halls around the world.
In 2016, Ian’s composition Sonata for Tuba ‘Hades God of the Underworld’ won the Pershing’s Own U.S. Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Composition Competition where the version for contrabass tuba received its world premiere at the 2017 Tuba-Euphonium Conference in Arlington, Virginia. The bass tuba version of Hades was premiered and recorded by Steve Darling and can be heard on his debut CD Dualities. In 2018, Ian was named the winner of the highly competitive inaugural North Texas Euphonium Quartet Composition Competition with his piece Reminiscence and Death Machine, which can be heard on the quartet’s debut CD Machines. In 2020, two of Ian's works, INTO THE MADHOUSE for solo tuba and Reflect, Refract for solo euphonium were selected as honorable mentions for the inaugural Leonard Falcone Call for Solo Works. That same year, Ian's work Persevere and Rebuild, for the Sun Will Rise Again received an honorable mention in the "When Tuba Come One' International Composition Competition.
In 2021, Ian won the Mirari Brass Quintet's Call for Scores with his work Three Episodes for Brass Quintet. That same year, Ian was one of ten composers accepted into the Julius Quartet’s EMERGE SOLSTICE summer workshop with his work Two Vignettes for String Quartet, a week-long seminar in which Ian worked with the world-renowned Julius String Quartet and Grammy Award-winning composer Steven Mackey. Ian was selected as the 2021 Composer in Residence for the nationally recognized and award-winning Volker Brass Quartet, which culminated in the world premiere performance of Ian's work ENERGY SUITE. In 2022, Ian was named the winner of the UMKC Composition Competition with his work Mental Pendulum written for and premiered by the Factory Seconds Brass Trio. In 2023, Ian was named the winner inaugural North Texas I.T.E.A Chapter Composition Competition with his work for euphonium, tuba, and piano First-foot. Most recently, Ian was named the winner of the 2023 ITEA R. Winston Morris Composition Award for tuba/euphonium ensemble with his piece LIMINAL SPACES.
Ian's primary composition teachers are Paul Rudy, Yotam Haber, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Terry Herald, and Ben Fuhrman.
Ian with the Factory Seconds Brass Trio after winning the 2022 UMKC
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Ian and the Volker Brass Quintet during Ian's 2021 residency with the ensemble.
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PERFORMING: At Oakland University, Ian studied with Dr. Kenneth Kroesche and was principal euphonium in the school's top wind ensemble and its award-winning brass band, also doubling on E-flat tuba in the latter group. In 2014, Ian was named a national finalist for the M.T.N.A. Senior Brass Solo Competition held in Anaheim, California and the following year, was a finalist for the 2015 Oakland University Orchestral Concerto Competition. In 2017, Ian was named the winner of the Michigan M.T.N.A. Young Artist Brass Solo Competition and runner-up for the East Central Regional Competition.
Ian enjoyed a successful chamber music experience at OU, having been named a winner of the 2014 and 2017 Oakland University Distinguished Student in Chamber Music award along with receiving 2nd Place in the Adult Chamber Music Competition at both the 2016 and 2017 North American Brass Band Championships in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his tuba quartet Tubas Ignis. Since the quartet's conception, Tubas Ignis has commissioned two major works for tuba quartet by esteemed composers Pete Meechan (Ubi Fumus Ibi Ignis) and Matthew Murchison (Undertow).
At UMKC, Ian studied with Thomas Stein and Dr. Lee Harrelson, was a member of the Conservatory's prestigious Wind Symphony and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, was principal euphonium of the Fountain City Academy Brass Band from 2018-2022, and is currently the 2nd baritone for the internationally recognized Fountain City Brass Band. Ian is also a founding member of the Kansas City-based new music ensemble Chimera Contemporary. In 2019, Ian won 1st prize in the North American Brass Band Championship's Adult Baritone/Euphonium Slow Melody Solo Competition. In 2020, Ian was named the winner of the Missouri M.T.N.A. Young Artist Brass Solo Competition and runner-up for the West-Central Regional Competition.
In 2021, Ian founded the Troubled Euphs Euphonium Trio with Jared Sherman and Drew Leslie. The group's main objective is to commission, promote, and perform new repertoire for euphonium trio and demonstrate the unique strengths and capabilities of their instrumentation. Within the first two and a half years of their existence, the trio has commissioned ten new works for the medium, several of which were composed by local Kansas City-area composers. The trio has been recognized for their talents and musicianship, earning a 4th place finish at the North American Brass Band Association chamber ensemble competition, and being invited as semi-finalists for the small ensemble competition at the 2023 International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Tempe, Arizona, where they received 4th place. Most recently, the Troubled Euphs have been invited to perform at the South Central Regional Tuba Euphonium conference at the University of Memphis as well as the Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference at Middle Tennessee State University.
Ian enjoyed a successful chamber music experience at OU, having been named a winner of the 2014 and 2017 Oakland University Distinguished Student in Chamber Music award along with receiving 2nd Place in the Adult Chamber Music Competition at both the 2016 and 2017 North American Brass Band Championships in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his tuba quartet Tubas Ignis. Since the quartet's conception, Tubas Ignis has commissioned two major works for tuba quartet by esteemed composers Pete Meechan (Ubi Fumus Ibi Ignis) and Matthew Murchison (Undertow).
At UMKC, Ian studied with Thomas Stein and Dr. Lee Harrelson, was a member of the Conservatory's prestigious Wind Symphony and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, was principal euphonium of the Fountain City Academy Brass Band from 2018-2022, and is currently the 2nd baritone for the internationally recognized Fountain City Brass Band. Ian is also a founding member of the Kansas City-based new music ensemble Chimera Contemporary. In 2019, Ian won 1st prize in the North American Brass Band Championship's Adult Baritone/Euphonium Slow Melody Solo Competition. In 2020, Ian was named the winner of the Missouri M.T.N.A. Young Artist Brass Solo Competition and runner-up for the West-Central Regional Competition.
In 2021, Ian founded the Troubled Euphs Euphonium Trio with Jared Sherman and Drew Leslie. The group's main objective is to commission, promote, and perform new repertoire for euphonium trio and demonstrate the unique strengths and capabilities of their instrumentation. Within the first two and a half years of their existence, the trio has commissioned ten new works for the medium, several of which were composed by local Kansas City-area composers. The trio has been recognized for their talents and musicianship, earning a 4th place finish at the North American Brass Band Association chamber ensemble competition, and being invited as semi-finalists for the small ensemble competition at the 2023 International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Tempe, Arizona, where they received 4th place. Most recently, the Troubled Euphs have been invited to perform at the South Central Regional Tuba Euphonium conference at the University of Memphis as well as the Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference at Middle Tennessee State University.
Ian after winning 1st place for the 2019 NABBA Adult Baritone/Euphonium Slow Melody Solo Competition.
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The Troubled Euphs Trio with composer Aaryn Ricucci-Hill after the world premiere of Aaryn's work "Cartridge Trio".
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TEACHING: Ian has been teaching private lessons to euphonium, trombone, and tuba students since 2015 when he was the low brass instructor for the Oakland University Music Preparatory Division as well as the Shelby Township Academy of the Arts. In 2017, Ian was a conducting and administrative assistant for the OU Golden Grizzlies Athletic Band. In this role, he conducted the band during several televised university basketball games and handled secretarial work and email correspondences.
At UMKC, Ian served as the graduate euphonium teaching assistant from 2018-2020, where he helped teach a music history course and taught private lessons to undergraduate euphonium students. The assistantship also gave Ian the opportunity to teach middle and high school euphonium and tuba students in low-income areas through the UMKC Musical Bridges program as well as additional lessons through the Conservatory's Academy program. From 2018 to 2020, Ian was the euphonium, trombone, and tuba instructor at R.E.W. Music. He taught private lessons to a studio that ranged from ten to fifteen students ranging from elementary to high schoolers, held bi-annual studio recitals, and led several workshops on a variety of musical topics. Ian has served as a low brass instructor and visual aid for several competitive high school marching bands in Michigan including L'Anse Cruise North High School and Farmington High School.
Ian continues to teach lessons as a freelance teacher and through the UMKC Conservatory Academy and Musical Bridges program where his students consistently earn superior ratings in Solo and Ensemble contests and place in all-district and all-state bands along with other honor ensembles. Ian is also a tuba, trombone, and euphonium instructor for the Blue Valley school district in Overland Park, Kansas. Ian's students have received superior ratings at Solo & Ensemble festivals and have been awarded spots in district and all-state ensembles.
At UMKC, Ian served as the graduate euphonium teaching assistant from 2018-2020, where he helped teach a music history course and taught private lessons to undergraduate euphonium students. The assistantship also gave Ian the opportunity to teach middle and high school euphonium and tuba students in low-income areas through the UMKC Musical Bridges program as well as additional lessons through the Conservatory's Academy program. From 2018 to 2020, Ian was the euphonium, trombone, and tuba instructor at R.E.W. Music. He taught private lessons to a studio that ranged from ten to fifteen students ranging from elementary to high schoolers, held bi-annual studio recitals, and led several workshops on a variety of musical topics. Ian has served as a low brass instructor and visual aid for several competitive high school marching bands in Michigan including L'Anse Cruise North High School and Farmington High School.
Ian continues to teach lessons as a freelance teacher and through the UMKC Conservatory Academy and Musical Bridges program where his students consistently earn superior ratings in Solo and Ensemble contests and place in all-district and all-state bands along with other honor ensembles. Ian is also a tuba, trombone, and euphonium instructor for the Blue Valley school district in Overland Park, Kansas. Ian's students have received superior ratings at Solo & Ensemble festivals and have been awarded spots in district and all-state ensembles.
2018 R.E.W. Holiday Studio Recital
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2021 Farmington High School Marching Band Staff
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